Leadership

Director of Retail

$95,300.00 - $114,500.00 / year

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Position:  Director of Retail 

Location:  Gardiner, Montana 

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer 

Status:  Full-time / Exempt 

 

Summary Description: 

Yellowstone Forever (YF) is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy. YF connects people to Yellowstone through outstanding visitor experiences and educational programs and translates those experiences into lifelong support of the park and philanthropic investment in its future. Our educational programming and products help people enhance their understanding and appreciation of the wildlife, natural wonders, and cultural history of the park. YF’s operations include Park Stores in and around Yellowstone; the Yellowstone Forever Institute, which offers in-depth educational programing for people of all ages; and a supporter program which raises funds for priority park projects. 

 

The Director of Retail plays a critical role in Yellowstone Forever’s operations, providing overall leadership for executing the retail vision developed with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and approved by the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  This position is responsible for executing Yellowstone Forever’s largest visitor engagement platform. This position works closely with all members of leadership to coordinate all facets of the impacts of the Yellowstone Forever Retail presence on the organization. Responsibilities of this position also include effective leadership to build a motivated and high performing team. The Director of Retail has broad responsibilities for all aspects of the retail program, including merchandising strategy, buying, visual merchandising, retail operations and front-line staff, warehouse operation, shipping and receiving, and e-commerce.  The Director of Retail will provide overall leadership and accountability for purchasing, product development, merchandising planning, visual merchandising, retail operational excellence, oversight and governance, warehouse operation, shipping and receiving, training, and operations support for all retail locations, including online stores. Success in this position requires a hands-on collaborative approach to problem solving, extensive experience with seasonal retail operations, and excellent organizational, time-management, and communication skills. 

 

 

Primary Responsibilities: 

  • Develop and manage a seasonal merchandising and retail operations strategy for profitable long-term retail growth, which is aligned with the overall mission and strategy of Yellowstone Forever 

  • Oversee operations of product development, supply chain, and park and online stores, ensuring all are coordinated to achieve the highest results 

  • Establish and achieve targets for retail metrics such as Sales, Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI), Cost of Goods, Customer Service, Member Recruitment, etc. 

  • Closely coordinate with Development team to achieve membership recruitment goals 

  • Collaborate with Finance and the leadership team to ensure Retail results are coordinated with the overall Yellowstone Forever budget 

  • Collaborate with Marketing to ensure consistent messaging and appearance across retail and the organization 

  • Partner with National Park Service to agree on product mix for Park Stores and take advantage of opportunities for Retail expansion in and around the park 

  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with the leadership team to align goals, priorities and foster a collaborative working environment 

  • Analyze data generated from the computerized retail management system to manage various metrics  

  • Oversee the open-to-buy budgeting, purchasing, and distribution of inventory throughout our retail establishments 

  • Ensure favorable cost, schedule, and terms with vendors to achieve budget goals 

  • Promote the highest level of customer service 

  • Ensure appropriate staffing levels and training of full-time and seasonal retail staff 

  • Develop and motivate staff to achieve optimal performance 

  • Foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment 

  • Effectively communicate relevant Retail-related information across the organization 

  • Support the Chief Development Officer and Philanthropy Team with maximizing engagement through Yellowstone Forever’s number one product, the Yellowstone Forever supporter program 

  • Represent Yellowstone Forever and its mission accurately and positively 

  • Travel into Yellowstone, throughout the Greater Yellowstone area and other, as required 

  • Other tasks as assigned by the COO and/or President & CEO, or other designated leadership 
     

 

Basic Qualifications:   

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited institution, or equivalent experience; 

  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in a Retail Merchandising and Operations Management position with a minimum of 3 of those years in seasonal retail operations management; 

  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in a retail Multi-Site Points of Sales Management; 

  • Established strategic and operational expertise with the ability to influence leadership, with substantial experience in visual merchandising; 

  • Proven business acumen and communication skills for collaborative cross-functional discussions; 

  • Strong ability to communicate ideas and lead teams from conception to implementation; 

  • Proven analytical skills; 

  • Demonstrated leader in Retail merchandising and operations with a direct approach to managing business, growing revenues and profit margins; 

  • Experience developing staff to deliver excellent customer service; 

  • Proficient with the use of retail technology, including Point of Sale systems, Warehouse Management systems, Customer Relations Management, and ecommerce management systems; 

  • A satisfactory criminal background check are conditions of employment. 

 

Preferred Qualifications:   

  • Substantial experience in complete Retail Project Management, including branding, guest experience, merchandise mix, operations, and e-commerce; 

  • Substantial experience in product development and design, sourcing, vendor negotiations, product rollouts, and merchandise campaigns; 

  • Experience with Square and YellowDog software; 

  • Substantial experience working in a nonprofit environment a plus; 

  • Knowledge of Yellowstone National Park. 

 

Compensation: 

This is a full-time, exempt position, which will be based in Gardiner. Travel between the offices and throughout the park may be required. Salary range is $95,300-$114,500 and is based upon experience. Benefits of this position include knowing that your efforts directly benefit Yellowstone National Park and having the opportunity to work in one of the world’s premiere wilderness areas. 

 

To Apply: 

Apply on-line for this position at https://www.yellowstone.org/who-we-are/jobs/  

Resume and Cover Letter Must be submitted for consideration.

Yellowstone Forever is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, political beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.